Feeling sick: headaches, nausea, dizziness, and yellowing skin...

I am uncertain which specific thread would be appropriate for this inquiry, so I have opted to create this one with a comparable heading...

Over the past few days, I have been struck by bouts of intense headaches, nausea, and vertigo occurring roughly twice a day for an hour or more at a time; my ears become flushed and hot to the touch, and everyone insists my complexion looks terribly jaundiced... does anyone have any insight into what this might signify?

Go see a doctor. This could be something with your gallbladder or your liver—they can cause jaundice.

Dr. House would probably give you that classic look and ask why on earth you didn't take your malaria prophylaxis...
But seriously, as soon as possible,get over to your primary care physician for some baseline testing—think blood work, X-rays, maybe an ultrasound, and then they can point you toward a specialist if anything looks funky on the results. If you’re sitting there with a fever or starting to get the shakes, don't play games; just head straight to the ER...

The reality is that I am currently a college student, and my campus doctor doesn't pull shifts over the weekend...

Are you still feeling those symptoms? Get to the ER. People head to the emergency room for the most ridiculous reasons and don't get a single second of attention—even if they deserve it—but I doubt they'd brush you off with what you're going through.

Look, I’m telling you, if you're dealing with those symptoms along with a fever or the shakes, things could get pretty heavy, pretty fast. Especially if you notice your urine turning dark after one of those "attacks"... especially if you were actually hanging out in some tropical area where malaria is a thing. Honestly, there are way too many possibilities on the table right now to start guessing blindly. There's no point overthinking it—it's definitely not the kind of night you want to be rolling into an ER—but then again, like melloworca6 said, people head to the emergency room at 5 PM for stuff that isn't even remotely urgent. Let's just hope that after they run all the tests, they send you straight back home and tell you it was just stress from your classes, eating nothing but campus cafeteria food, and hitting the cheap tequila a little too hard, causing your liver to basically quit on you alongside a gallbladder stone... plus whatever other snarky comments the crew over at 😉
might throw your way.

What is his problem?

Where on earth did he catch malaria?

I guess it’s a good sign if their profile shows they were online today.

Thanks again for all the input, everyone 😉
I saw my primary care physician today, and after an examination, she insisted there was nothing particularly concerning... though she did warn that if I keep complaining, she’ll be sending me straight to an infectious disease specialist at the Mayo Clinic (I neglected to mention that I likely ran a fever over the weekend—I can't say for certain since I don't keep a thermometer handy here in Chicago, but my head felt like it was burning while my body swung between chills and heat)
I feel somewhat improved today, though I did experience some lightheadedness and a headache while playing a game on my PC earlier
Regardless, I will be back home in two weeks and fully intend to have blood work done for a more thorough investigation

My sincere thanks once more 🙏

So, you're dealing with a fever after all? Look, if you start feeling one of those descriptive attacks coming on, don't just sit there—get moving immediately. Grab an Uber or a Lyft and head straight to the ER (honestly, it's a good thing she pointed you toward them). It’d be really smart to get your bloodwork done while the attack is actually happening; it makes things so much easier for the doctors when they can see what's going on in real-time. Usually, the staff at places like Mayo Clinic are top-tier, so you might finally get some actual attention—at least the bare minimum, though they'll go much deeper if they see a clear indication. Definitely bring along any old medical records you have; that always helps speed things up. Are you taking any meds on a regular basis, or just every now and then?

velvetmoose9 said:A fever, after all? If you find yourself caught in the middle of one of those descriptive episodes, there should be no hesitation, just immediate action. Use an Uber or a Lyft to get straight to the emergency room—it was wise of her to point you toward them—and it would be prudent to undergo lab work while the symptoms are peaking, as it simplifies the diagnostic process. The staff at the Mayo Clinic are generally exceptional, so perhaps they will finally give you the attention you deserve, providing at least the bare minimum, or even a thorough evaluation if the situation warrants it... Be sure to bring your previous medical records; that always assists the physicians. Are you currently taking any medications on a regular or occasional basis?

I take Advil occasionally when a headache hits... 🤷
well, I have been having Guaraná lately, about once a day... but if my memory serves me correctly, these symptoms actually preceded the consumption of the drink...
I recall back when I used to drink more heavily, perhaps two drinks at a time, nothing ever happened then...

Honestly, I’d probably just head over to my primary care doctor and grab a referral for a routine checkup at the infectious disease clinic, but if things take a turn for the worse and you have another flare-up, just hit up the ER—you don't need a referral for that, and they're open 24/7 regardless of what time it is... Though, I gotta say again, there are just way too many different things that could be causing what you're going through... We shouldn't be guessing 😉